1989 in New Zealand television

This is a list of New Zealand television-related events in 1989.

Events

October – Network Two is renamed to Channel 2.
26 November – TV3 is launched in New Zealand.{{cite web|last1=Brookes|first1=Emily|title='Run out of money before we got on air': Mark Jennings on Three's first day|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/117679505/run-out-of-money-before-we-got-on-air-mark-jennings-on-threes-first-day|website=Stuff}}
27 November – American children's animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles based on the comic book series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird begins airing on TV3.
2 December – American sitcom Family Matters begins premiering on New Zealand television on TV3 three months after its US television debut.
5 December – Australian soap Home and Away makes its ever debut in New Zealand with the series transmitting on TV3.
8 December – The final editions of Top Half (Auckland) and Today Tonight (Wellington) were broadcast on Channel 2 at 5.45pm.

Debuts

=Domestic=

13 February – After 2 (Network Two) (1989-1991)
13 February – 3:45 Live (Network Two) (1989-1990)
3 April – Holmes (TV One) (1989-2004)
3 April – Sale of the Century (Network Two) (1989-1993)
5 April – Shark in the Park (TV One) (1989-1991)
18 June – Strangers (Network Two) (1989)
9 July – The Shadow Trader (Network Two) (1989)
30 October – Blind Date (Channel 2) (1989-1991)
27 November – The Early Bird Show (TV3) (1989-1992)
Betty's Bunch (1989)
14 Days on Trial (Channel 2) (1989-1990)
Your Choice (Channel 2) (1989)
Space Knights (Channel 2) (1989-1990)
Night of the Red Hunter (1989)

=International=

8 January – {{flagicon|USA}} Probe (Network Two)
13 January – {{flagicon|UK}} The Survival Factor (Network Two)
12 February – {{flagicon|CAN}} The Adventures of Snelgrove Snail (TV One)
12 February – {{flagicon|UK}} TUGS (TV One)
1 April – {{flagicon|USA}} TV 101 (Network Two)
1 April – {{flagicon|USA}} AlfTales (TV One)
5 April – {{flagicon|USA}} Dear John (USA) (Network Two)
5 April – {{flagicon|UK}} No Frills (TV One)
6 April – {{flagicon|UK}} Stoppit and Tidyup (TV One)
7 April – {{flagicon|USA}} Mission: Impossible (1988) (Network Two)
27 April – {{flagicon|UK}} Count Duckula (Channel 2)
29 April – {{flagicon|UK}} Saturday Night Clive (TV One)
7 May – {{flagicon|UK}} Tube Mice (TV One)
7 May – {{flagicon|UK}} Tumbledown Farm (TV One)
16 May – {{flagicon|UK}} Charlie Chalk (TV One)
2 July – {{flagicon|UK}} Gran (TV One)
1 September – {{flagicon|USA}} Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater (TV One)
3 September – {{flagicon|USA}} A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (TV One)
27 November – {{flagicon|USA}} Garfield and Friends (TV3)
27 November – {{flagicon|USA}} The Mickey Mouse Club (1989) (TV3)
27 November – {{flagicon|USA}} Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) (TV3)
27 November – {{flagicon|AUS}} The Shiralee (TV3)
28 November – {{flagicon|USA}} The Nutt House (TV3)
1 December – {{flagicon|USA}} In the Heat of the Night (TV3)
2 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Mighty Mouse and Friends (TV3)
2 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Family Matters (TV3)
2 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Midnight Caller (TV3)
2 December – {{flagicon|USA}} High Mountain Rangers (TV3)
3 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Murphy Brown (TV3)
5 December – {{flagicon|AUS}} Home and Away (TV3)
7 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Houston Knights (TV3)
8 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Empty Nest (TV3)
8 December – {{flagicon|AUS}} Hey Dad..! (TV3)
8 December – {{flagicon|AUS}} Rafferty's Rules (TV3)
{{flagicon|USA}} Nightingales (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Surgical Spirit (TV One)
{{flagicon|USA}} Island Son (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} A Bit of a Do (TV One)
{{flagicon|UK}} Colin's Sandwich (TV One)
{{flagicon|USA}} China Beach (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Streets Apart (TV One)
{{flagicon|USA}} Doctor Doctor (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Gruey (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|USA}} Unsub (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Joint Account (TV One)
{{flagicon|USA}} Day by Day (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|USA}} Annie McGuire (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Rockliffe's Folly (TV One)
{{flagicon|USA}} Paradise (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Hannay (TV One)
{{flagicon|AUS}} Dadah Is Death (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|USA}} Baby Boom (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|AUS}} The Comedy Company (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|USA}}/{{flagicon|FRA}} Denver, the Last Dinosaur (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}} Round the Bend (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|USA}} Hothouse (Channel 2)
{{flagicon|UK}}/{{flagicon|USA}} Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories (Channel 2)

New channels

26 November – TV3

Changes to network affiliation

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on a New Zealand television network that had previously premiered on another New Zealand television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.